The Record: Letters, Monday, March 31

Pope Francis is a theological train wreck. His humanistic and progressive ideology is at times inconsistent with Catholic teaching and in violation of Catholic doctrine.

When he was archbishop in Argentina he was advocating the condoning of civil unions, clearly a violation of Catholic teaching because it violates the principle that the end never justifies the means. Since civil unions are acts of adultery and/or fornication, they are according to doctrine intrinsically morally evil. Thankfully, the bishops in Argentina voted against his proposal. As pope he is, sadly, taking the same position.

Also, he is considering the possibility of allowing divorced and remarried Catholics to receive the Eucharist. He is attempting to change Catholic doctrine that bars those Catholics who have been divorced and remarried without an annulment from receiving the Eucharist. If Pope Francis allows this practice, he is challenging the words of Jesus himself. He and I must not be reading the same Bible.

This pope claims to be a champion for mercy and the poor. Yet, his dismissive statement with regard to abortion is lacking in mercy and justice towards the unborn, the poorest of the poor, who were butchered and murdered by non-repentant physicians.

The mystery of God is his mercy and justice. Thomas Aquinas stated, "Mercy without justice is dissolution and justice without mercy is cruelty."

William Zally

Cresskill, March 25

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Regarding "Accused priests should be barred" (Your Views, March 19):

The writer overlooks some important facts of our Catholic faith. He says one should not receive communion if divorced without an annulment. Not true. The church teaches that only Catholics in the state of grace may receive communion.

This includes those who are divorced for good reason or through no fault of their own. It is those who are divorced and remarried outside the church who may not receive communion. Also, once baptized, the Catholic person is indelibly marked as a permanent member of the Catholic Church.

Therefore, no baptized Catholic may be barred from the church, which must remain open always to the return of all penitent sinners. Ordained clergy are also indelibly marked by holy orders, so that one is a priest forever. These facts explain why excommunication is used to correct and not expel.

The excommunicate is barred from receiving communion, from celebrating divine services, and from exercising any official ecclesiastical act, but still obligated to attend Mass on Sundays.

Harold L. Bates

New Milford, March 28

Christie should back

new magazine limit

I urge Governor Christie to support pending legislation to reduce rifle magazine capacity from 15 to 10.

Here are several examples of the limitations of magazine capacity already in place for shotguns. Rifles, as far as I know, cannot be used in New Jersey for hunting, as the bullet carries a very long distance and New Jersey has more people per square mile than any other state.